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Alcatraz Media, Inc.
Alcatraz Media, Inc. is a North American web-based software company and travel agency. It specializes in providing online booking for tours and sightseeing activities. Overview Alcatraz Media is the world’s largest provider of tours and activities, and receives over one million site visitors per month to its extensive network of nearly 2,000 e-commerce websites. The company provides more than 11,000 tours in over 450 domestic and international destinations in 75 countriesAmerican Express. "Open Forum Member: Alcatraz Media, Inc.", "Open Forum". Retrieved on 2011-12-1.. The business was founded by Ryan M. Windsor in 1999 in San Francisco, CaliforniaBetter Business Bureau. BBB Review of Alcatraz Media. Retrieved on 2011-24-1. and is now headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. In May 2011, the company achieved one million reservationsPRWeb. "Alcatraz Media Celebrates Its One Millionth Reservation", "PRWeb". Retrieved on 2011-6-29.. Structure The structure of the company is similar to that of a travel agency. Travel related products and services are offered to customers through Alcatraz Media operated websites on behalf of tour operators and suppliers who operate cruises, hotels, railways, walking tours, sightseeing tours, vacation packages, theaters, museums and other tourist-friendly activities. Partnerships In 2010, Alcatraz Media entered into a strategic partnership with travel insurance provider Travel Guard"Alcatraz Media, Inc. and Reserve123.com Partner with Travel Guard® North America", "Yahoo! News", 13 January 2011. Retrieved on 2011-17-1. in an effort to provide its customers with the option to insure their purchases. In the spring of 2011, Alcatraz Media announced a strategic partnership with the Google Affiliate Network to enhance its advertising and marketing capabilities"Alcatraz Media Announces Partnership with Google Affiliate Network", "Yahoo! News", 28 June 2011. Retrieved on 2011-6-29.. Maid of the Mist Controversy Since 2005, Alcatraz Media has been embroiled in a dispute over the Niagara Parks Commission’s decision to award a long-term lease of 25 years and New York State's decision to award a long-term license of 40 years (with an agreement entered into in 2002) to Maid of the Mist officials James V. Glynn and Christopher Glynn without going through the process of competitive open biddingScheer, Mark. "Maid of the Mist Under Siege", Tonowanda News, New York, 25 November 2009. Retrieved on 2011-12-1.. The company fought these decisions, which were made in secret, in order to allow other companies a chance to participate in the bidding process in hopes of securing the $1.3 billion contracts to operate the Maid of the Mist boats"Maid of the Mist Boat Service Contract May Go to Alcatraz Media", Now Public, 28 October 2009. Retrieved on 2011-21-1.. Canada's Globe & Mail newspaper wrote a series of articles that helped lead to having the contract opened for competitive bidding Reinhart, Anthony. "Province orders Maid of the Mist lease re-opened", Globe & Mail, 28 October 2009. Retrieved on 2011-23-1, but it was a series of dozens of investigative reports by the Niagara Falls Reporter that got the attention of the people of Niagara Falls and the government of OntarioParlato, Frank. "Maid of the Mist Lease Ordered Reopened", Niagara Falls Reporter, 3 November 2009. Retrieved on 2011-23-1.Parlato, Frank. "HAS JAMES GLYNN'S SHIP SUNK? Odds are against Glynn keeping his Canadian Maid of the Mist lease", Niagara Falls Reporter, 22 February 2011. Retrieved on 2011-23-2. Alcatraz Media has been identified as one of the finalists in the biddingParlato, Frank. "Bidders Revealed in Canadian Competition for Maid of the Mist", Niagara Falls Reporter, 3 January 2011. Retrieved on 2011-23-1. A highly secretive evaluation of the bids for the Maid of the Mist operation contract is currently underwayLarocque, Corey. "Boat tour evaluations being done in secret", The Niagara Falls Review, 22 February 2011. Retrieved on 2011-23-2.. References External links * Internap Alcatraz Media Case Study * Internap Alcatraz Media Hosting Customer Page * CMIT Solutions Alcatraz Media Client Page * CMIT Solutions Interview with Ryan Windsor * More Than 150 Companies Embrace Digital Media Features in Windows XP Category:Companies established in 1999 Category:Online travel agencies Category:Companies based in Atlanta, Georgia Category:Travel and holiday companies of the United States